Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1887-07-14

liz WIS lD OIt vi llC
of the civil war that he Tell, ngnting
brevely, killed by one well almea
charge. When his body was Drought
home, Hazel received the sorrowlng
soldiers without a tear, n when
| some one roughly accused her OF
hearJlessness, she answered, with the
spirit OF a true soldiers daughter:
"If papa had died ignobly hould
weep for the disgrace, but they tell me
he fell fighting, honored " by those
who struck him down, shall mour
for my father, but he would have me
give up my soldier as bravery as DC
gave his life" wa
The weary months crept on. Walt
mo safely. far from the struggle, with
her aunt in the north, was out OF the
question, and Hazel begged so hard TO
be allowed to follow her W incilna-
tions, that permission was granted,
and she Joined the little band OF help
full women who was going to nurse the
moor fellows dying for want OF proper
! care.
In the hospital the dark eyed, pale
faced nurse soon became popular, ior
| shs was as strong as she was tender,
always willing to undergo all the hard-
ships for the sake of the suffering sol
diers.
She often found friends OF her faith
or among the wounded. and her eyes
grew bright as she listened to the
! stories his admirers told OF his manly
courage and tender sympathy.
One dav she. was looking over the
list OF "Killed and Wounded" in the
mornings paper, and saw the name
of Major Robert ID. Stevens among
the Others.
As she read there came a food Of
old time recollections, memories haif'
forgotten, and then q vague wondeI
stole into her heart. Did her old
playmate remember her with thesame
tender longing?
She thought ofhis call at the school.
She had dressed herself with care to
receive him, but she had seemed cold
and distant, and he had gone away.
She had only heard rumors OF HIM
since. He had begun the study oil
medicine, and had gone into the office
of a celebrated old doctor in a north
ern state, and during the wal had gain
edhonors in the Federal army. and now
she doubted not that he had forgot
| ten her, as she had tried to put him
ont OF her mind. Her heart ached
with an unaccustomed pain, and as
| she went about her daily duties her
patients missed her attentive sym.
| pathy, for though she performed all
her tasks, she was preoccupied, busy
| with her own thoughts.
Toward noon the doctor called her
and said: Il have a new patient for
you. He will need constant care, for
he is in a fever, and it will take good
nursing to bring him round" And
leading the way to his own private
Office he added, I've got him in here,
for the present. He wasa pupil oil
mine, and feel q great interest IN
| him."
The man turned restlessly on his
rough couch; his hagard face was
turned to the wall, the blue eyes
glanced vacantly about the ROOM, and
the tawny hair was pushed back from
the hot forhead; one arm lay useless,
and as he moved a little low moan es-
capped his tightly closed lips. at is
Major Stevens" said the Doctor.
"He's in a bad way, isn't he2 Good
fellow! Wen bring him round, If pos
sible." Tears came to HazePs eyes
as she answered fervently, "Please
God, We will"
Through the days of hopeless wait
ing and the nights OF suspense Hazel
was constant and faithful, always
ready with a cheerful word or smile in
| the rare intervals of consciousness,
working or watching when death
| seemed near, and hoping for, yet dread
ing, the time when Rob should recog.
nize Ier. Admitting his brave endur-
ance Of the pain that it is harder to
bear than danger in the midst OF ex
element and reviewing her girlish re-
gard for her boy friend, she had come
to love the honored major with ten.
der affection, that grew daily, and oc.
casionally frightened her with its
depth.
At length the old doctor joyfully
gave a glimmer of hope; then again
came the dull despair, and O long
fierce struggle between death and life.
As the first light Of dawn showed in
the sky, DIR. Holmes turned to the
pale girl and said: "He is sleeping.
We can tell nothing till he wakes; so
60 and rest, for if he begins to improve
you'll have your hands full, and any.
way, you mustn't get ILL.," With a
faint remonstrance Hazel obeyed, and
laid down on a couch neal the door,
there not to sleep, but to listen in.
tentlv for every sound.
All was still, save for the quiet, reg.
ular breathing that made her heart
rejoice, and the ticking OF the tall
clock. When a struggling beam OF
sunlight fell through the window, she
stole quietly into the room, where she
stood by the bedside, anxiously re.
garding the worn yet peaceful face oil
the sleeper.
Suddenly his eyes flew open, and
looking wonderingly at the two SOBER
faces before him, he held out his hand
to Hazel, saying helplessly, "Youhave
come to say 'goodby.' Don't be cold,
Hazel; let me leave the world with q
pleasant remembrance" Tho pleading
tone and look were to much, and she
leaned down and kissed the pale face,
saying heartily, 1T is not 'goodby,i
but a welcome back to life and happi.
ness" The astonished doctor, begin.
ing to comprehend the situation, went
softly away, and cautiously wipinn
his eyes he thought of his own youth.
Asking no questions, the weak man
held Hazel's hand, and listened with
eager eyes, as she told him OF her long.
ing Tor him, and her fears that she had
forfeited his love. Finally she said
gayly, 81 seem to do all the wooing,
but you'll forgive me, dear heart" and
as he drew her down to look the pas.
sion he could not speak, the u burst
from the clouds aud cast an effulpence
OF light through the room, shedding
his blessings on the heads OF the hap.
Ply loyers.-"H. NJ. j." in Boston Bud,
get.
The Fear of the Dead i'm China,
The great overruling superstitions